Ridge, Late Winter Sunset

Mt. Hamilton Road, Lick Observatory, Santa Clara County, CA, 3/4/2015

Mt. Hamilton dominates the landscape east of San Jose, CA. The 4,216 feet tall mountain overlooks Santa Clara Valley and is the site of Lick Observatory, the first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory in the world. The foothills of Mt. Hamilton are dominated by majestic oaks and grassland, while its upper reaches are covered in pines. This high ridge is at an elevation of 3,100 feet and has a healthy mix of deciduous and evergreen trees. The views from the mountain are extraordinary, especially around sunset! Here as we look southwest, the golden light gives the late winter foliage a beautiful warm glow.